Some Looks for Spring

James had me in stitches for pretty much the entire shoot. This is, far and away, my favorite picture from the evening…

I recently had the chance to work James Rand on a photo shoot at his place in Brooklyn. Aside from being a great friend of mine, the man also happens to be a great photographer. Lucky for that.

It was a Sunday evening. I brought the clothing (and some beer), he brought the photo gear (and the talent), and we got to shooting some looks for spring with gear from my own collection.

The shots here are all from that evening.

(A note: the background was the only one available, and the photographer specifically requested I express his apologies for the…shall we say…boldness of the color.)

Look No. 1:

Jacket – Gant Rugger, Sweater – J. Crew, Shirt – Uniqlo, Jeans – APC, Belt – Brackney, Shoes – Bass

Look No. 2:

Jacket – Baron Wells, Shirt – Taylor Stitch, Tie – Jack Spade, Belt – Brackney, Chinos – Epaulet, Socks – Pantherella, Shoes – Alden

Look No. 3:

Jacket – Lewis Leathers for The Garbstore, Shirt – Taylor Stitch, Belt – Brackney, Jeans – Epaulet, Socks – Panterella, Shoes – Alden

Look No. 4:

Jacket – Baron Wells, Shirt – Taylor Stitch, Tie – Graham Withers, Jeans – Epaulet, Socks – Pantherella, Shoes – Alden

And that’s that.

—Jonathan

(Images courtesy of James S. Rand)

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Eye Candy: Lewis Leathers x Garbstore Flying Dominator Preview

I’ve been excited about the Lewis Leathers x Garbstore Flying Dominator jacket for a while now, and these preview shots from Epaulet are just making it even harder to wait for September when it actually drops.

Take a look:

Price should come in around $850. Not cheap, but from the looks of it, well worth it.

—Jonathan

(Images courtesy of Epaulet)

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Initial Thoughts: Lewis Leathers for Garbstore Flying Dominator

I’ve been waiting for ages to post a preview shot and give my intial take on the Flying Dominator by Lewis Leathers for Garbstore. I was waiting on the actual release of the FW 2010 lookbook to drop it, though (I came by advance knowledge of the piece through personal channels and didn’t want to step on any toes).

Now that it’s out though? Fuck it. Fair game! So feast your eyes, try to ignore the styling in the shot (which ain’t doing it for me) and read on for my take on the piece.

One note before I continue on to my thoughts: please keep in mind that there are some aspects of my description you can’t see in the above shot, so you’ll have to take my word. I assure you, I’m doing my level best to be 100% accurate.

On to the Flying Dominator!

To my eye, the look of the jacket as a whole is a modernized and pared-down take on the classic A2. You can see the knit cuffs, and the hem is done in a rib knit as well. Pair that with the brown leather, the shirt collar, and the “Flying” moniker, and it’s a pretty short leap to flight jacket associations.

There’s definitely a solid list of changes, though. First, it’s now slash handwarmer pockets instead of the traditional patch pockets with top entry flaps. There’s also no storm flap, epaulets, or snap-down closure on the collar. And obviously, the bright red quilted lining is all Lewis Leathers and zero military in terms of influence. One of the biggest differences is the slimmed down fit all around (trimmer body, higher armholes, etc). That lean silhouette is probably not great if you’re actually flying a plane, but I love it.

The Flying Dominator is sort of a highly civilianized hybrid piece. Perfect for someone with an appreciation for the general A2 vibe, but whose wardrobe doesn’t have the requisite “heritage” feel to work an actual reproduction or vintage piece into the works.

All in all, I think it’s a win. Very wearable and modern, but with the appropriate homage paid to it’s sartorial forbears.

It’s all made in the UK of British-tanned sheep nappa that’s been treated for a vintage look. Hopefully it holds up in person. From the shots I’ve seen, I’m thinking it’s gonna be a beauty.

The price should come in around the mid $800′s when it hits store in September. I’ll be saving my dollars for that very day.

—Jonathan

(Image courtesy of Garbstore)

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Objects of Affection: R6 for Garbstore Exclusive Belts

R6 is the product of a collaboration between Regent Belt Company and design shop 6876, and they make some damn nice leather belts. That’s the first layer. Simple so far.  You with me? Of course you are.  Want to throw in another collaborative layer? Good.

Garbstore has a set of exclusive colorways on offer, so really, the belts here are a three-part effort.  The Courier Belt shown above features a functional pocket, which seems pretty damn handy. The black/beige combo is Garbstore’s alone.

The Leadberry Belt in the following shots has a leather roller, which is a detail I’ve really come to love lately. The black and brown versions are a general release, but the brown/tan and navy/gray combos are exclusives.

They’re all gonna run you £85, or around $123 US. Get ‘em at Garbstore (link takes you to the main R6 page at Garbstore, so you can check out the totes and lanyards from the effort, too)

—Jonathan

(Images courtesy of Garbstore)

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